The Public Access Scheme Guidance

Introduction

1. The purpose of this Guide is to explain how the public access scheme works and to show how members of the public (“lay clients”) can use it to instruct barristers directly.

What is public access?

2. The public access scheme allows members of the public to instruct a barrister directly. In the past it was necessary for clients to use a solicitor or other third party in order to instruct a barrister.

What are the advantages of the public access scheme?

3. The main advantage of the public access scheme is that it could potentially save you money, since you would be paying for a barrister only instead of a barrister and a solicitor. However, although the barrister would be able to deal with many aspects of the case, you may have to assist in some areas, including filing documents with the court. This is explained in more detail below but can be, in some cases, a relatively complex and technical process